The Legend of Zelda: Shades of Time
by VBUser
Summary: The sequel to Shadows of Home, Link has been replaced to his life in Hyrule before anything happened--no Ganon, no Majora, no adventure. As he tries to resume his childhood, the foreboding of evil haunts him for the hopes of a normal life with the Kokiri.
1. Prelude

Prologue  
  
[ ] indicates thought  
  
In a great forest where the trees are tall and majestic, the birds sing all day, and everything is peaceful, slept a boy. Clad in green, he slept soundly; no dream touched his head. Until the sun crept its way over the treetops, and cast its pure shining light over the great clearing did he lay on a wooden bed.  
  
The light began to shine in through the door, and a deep yawn came from inside the hollow tree house. The boy, about ten years old, stretched, and then got up to walk outside. He stood on his small balcony, fighting off grogginess and looking around at the forest village.  
  
[This is the day,] he thought. [The day when it all started. Does this mean that none of that ever happened?] The boy remembered. He remembered the future, the things that would have happened. But now, everything was different. The evil shadows that ruled in a future time were imprisoned in his mind forever, his experience confined only to his memory. All seemed peaceful. 


	2. Chapter One: Child Again

**Chapter 1**

[ ] indicates thought, indicates some sort of telepathy

Link ran through the tall grass, without destination or worry. He was at home again in the forest. _[I'll never leave,] _he thought. 

* * *

Flowing through the whole forest, the lively notes of the ocarina played an upbeat tune. Saria sat with her instrument, playing for the other children in the middle of Kokiri village. High above the full, round moon shone brightly onto the dancing children. They were all having great fun, moving to the tunes and enjoying themselves. All except one boy. 

The music continued and the children laughed and danced as Link walked over to the loner. The boy's face held a scowl.

"Hey Mido," Link said. The sitting boy looked away, almost spitefully. "This is fun, com'on and dance!" Mido looked slowly around, his scowl dissolving slightly, but he did not get up. Link watched him for a second, whishing that Mido would try to have some fun. _[I know you want to have fun! Don't be so proud!]_ he thought.

After another moment of saying nothing, Link turned and walked away. He rejoined the dancing, hoping that Mido would be more receptive to the fun, but resolving to enjoy himself in spite the stubborn child. He started dancing around, in the innocent bliss of a child.

The Children of the Forest continued to dance under the light of the moon, driven by their enjoyment. The notes of Saria's ocarina continued to flow. On this wonderfully warm summer night, the full moon provided enough light for this boisterous activity.

As Link dance, he noticed a particular red-haired head standing at the edge of the crowd. Link rushed over, now grinning a very sincere smile. He grabbed Mido and pushed him into the group. Mido did not know what to do, and was frozen in embarrassed.

"Com'on, Mido!" said one of the twins, dancing by him. Link danced away, leaving Mido to himself. The proud boy slowly started to be absorbed by the lively notes and lost his embarrassment. He began to dance, slowly and ineptly. Saria picked up her tempo, and he began to loose himself in the music. His frown became a smile and the smiling faces of the other children answered him. Mido was with the other children, and he was happy.

Link danced under the moon, a mature, knowing smile on his face.

* * *

The boy sat on a tall, square platform in the middle of the forest village, his legs dangling over the edge. He sat in deep thought staring at the first remnants of light in the dark sky. The sky was dark with only a setting sliver of the moon. Stealing away the power of the darkness was the sun. The sun, a symbol of goodness, of pure beauty, and of passing time, began to rise. The boy thought.

"Link?"

He heard footsteps behind him on the thin wooden bridge. The sun had peaked its way over the treetops while he thought, and the sky of the morning clouds glowed vibrantly red and orange. The morning was slowly coming, passing into its time.

Link turned his head slightly as Saria sat down. "Hi," he said.

They silently sat next to each other as the sun continued to rise.

"Pretty, isn't it?" said Link. Saria was quiet. Link had been becoming much more thoughtful and poetic. She felt he was maturing, even though she knew he was still young. They shared the brightness of the sun's glory. They sat silently, best of friends, and they thought.

"Hey!" Mido called from the ground. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Link yelled, suddenly roused from his thoughts. He ran back along the wooden plank bridge. He met Mido on the ground. They laughed and then ran off towards the Lost Woods.

_[So mature,]_ thought Saria, _[and so unlike the other children.]_ She smiled. _[But so much like a child.]_

* * *

"They're on every side, captain!"

"We'll beat 'em! They'll never take out fort!" The captain raised his sword, his red hair blowing in the hot wind. "We'll fight them to the last!"

The two warriors ran to the heavily defended walls of their last fortress.

"Take that, and that!" The swords swung though the air, smiting down the invaders.

"Get back, you reptiles!" The stink-breath of the invading lizard-people filled the air; they were getting closer to climbing over the top of the walls. The sky was darkened with an evil red foreboding.

"Ha ha!"

"Captain!" the soldier yelled. "It's their king!" One giant lizard had made it into the battlements.

"I'll take him!" yelled the captain and swung his sword into one on one combat.

"Hey, Mido, Link!"

The blade dissolved into a slightly crooked stick, the sky shone brightly again, and the lizard king dissolved into their imaginations. They slowly walked over to the edge of their tree fort.

"What is it?" yelled Mido down at the standing child.

"Mikia found a great big berry bush! Do you want some?"

The captain and soldier looked at each other, then scrambled towards the ladder, forgetting their wooden swords and the great battle. They ran after their friend with the promise of sugary treats in their heads.


	3. Chapter Two: Cruel Destiny

**Chapter 2**

Link awoke to the sun, and stretched. The trees outside were adorned with vibrant oranges and yellows of autumn. It had been many months since he had first come back to his childhood. He got out of bed, stepping gingerly on the cold floor. He reached to slip on his brown boots.

"Huh," he grunted. They did not fit so well; his toes were slightly crunched. Link sighed, aware once again of his destiny; the destiny of ageing.

* * *

"The princess is dreaming again."

"Again? Is it bad?" The two castle guards stood in the dark morning of the stone corridors. The castle was quiet and full of silent echoes.

"I heard it she wasn't screaming anymore. But, the little girl is constantly bothering the king with silly prophecies."

"She'll grow out of her childless in a few years."

"That's right. Good day!"

The two armored guards parted to continue their rounds.

* * *

The short, green grass flowed over the gently sloping knoll. Reclining peacefully on the grass was a boy. Far above stood a great tree with a wisdom-filled face. They were alone, talking of many things. After many minutes of idle discussion, a long silence passed. Link finally had the courage to bring up what lay heavily on his mind.

"Great Deku Tree, why don't you," he paused. "Why don't you call me 'child'? You call my friends child."

The tree moved his gaze straight into the boy. He could see everything that happened into the forest, and he could see into the heart of Link. He could even see that the blonde haired boy already knew the answer to the matter that had been a constant part of the wise tree's own thoughts.

"Link," he started, forcing himself to bring the whole truth forward. "Thine mind hast always been clouded to me, but thine memories art strong, much stronger than is normal for someone of thine age. I've watched thee since thee first came to the forest, Link." He sighed a plantish sigh. "Thou were not born of the forest. Thou were brought from the outside. Thou art a Hylian!"

Link was listening intently, but his face was not as the tree had thought it would be. _[He would be surprised,] _the Deku Tree thought, _[unless he already knew.]_

"And thou knowst that thee willst not stop growing up. Soon, the other children will begin to notice." The Deku Tree wondered at the mystery of this child, whom he had watched for nearly eleven years. It seemed that the boy had changed dramatically and mysteriously about a year ago. He had become quieter, more mature, and more friendly at the same time. The tree knew that something very important had happened to Link, and he had never known about it. Link had an aura of someone who was misplaced in time.

"Link!" the Great Deku Tree spoke in a commanding voice. "Thou might live in the forest for as long as thee pleases, as I've always allowed thee. Thou hast my permission to freely come and go in the forest as much as thee whishes. Thou art free in Kokiri, Link."

"Thank you Deku Tree," Link smiled upward. "But I don't want to leave."

The tree's eyes smiled. "Yes, Link. Go back to the others now. Enjoy thine time!"

Link stood up and brushed off his tunic. He walked out of the clearing.

_[Thine childhood will not last forever, and soon thou will look to the outside. 'Tis destiny, my young boy.]_ The Deku Tree sighed, and continued to think.

* * *

Sweet music flowed from the pink ocarina. Saria played for her own enjoyment, but hoped that the other children would hear her too. Her fairy fluttered down to her shoulder.

"Hey, there's Link," she said, "thinking too much, as usual." The blonde haired boy had just walked out from the passage from the Deku Tree's clearing. Saria stopped playing.

"Hey!" Link looked over to see his friends sitting, soaking her feet in the stream. He walked over, smiling. As he approached, he saw an inquisitive look in her eyes.

"What're you playing?" he asked, creating a subject to avoid her obvious question. She noticed the evasion, and smiled.

"Just stuff I make up." She looked down at her instrument, and then held it up to him. "Would you like to try?"

"Sure!" he said, but then a wave of uncertainty crossed his face as he accepted the dainty instrument. The memories of the man songs he had known were gone, erased from their existence in his remembrance. He brought the mouthpiece to his lips and hoped for the best.

A single, pure note blew from the instrument, its perfection making Saria smile broader. Slowly, Link climbed up a scale. He faltered slightly on the highest note, but otherwise his playing was of one who had much practice. Link had his eyes closed in concentration, and began to try to carry a short tune.

The boy felt all his musical experience flooding back to him. His mind was awash with former skill, and Link was lost in playing. His small tune picked up in tempo and complexity. Notes flowed out, and a song formed out of short, random tunes. Link's mind danced around possibility after possibility of songs, all made up instantly in his sharp mind.

Suddenly, Link's tempo slowed, and his song became a slow, almost sad melody. He stopped playing and opened his eyes suddenly. The song reminded him of something he had heard in another time and place.

He found Saria staring at him. Her smile was still there, but much diminished. Her eyes held nothing short of pure amazement. Link hurriedly handed back her ocarina, then turned to walk away.

"Wait," Saria said softly. "Link, where did you learn the ocarina so well?" she asked, still amazed.

He turned around and looked at her. _[I can't tell you about my past, or my future,]_ he thought. _[I'm sorry.]_ His eyes begged her to understand. He quickly turned and ran away from his friend.

* * *

Link sat on a tree stump, alone, deep in the forest. He was sobbing. His feet hurt from his too-small boots. He had embarrassed himself in front of his best friend. The trials of growing older were beginning to strike Link. The aging process of the Hylians could not be stopped, even in the magic of Kokiri Forest.


	4. Chapter Three: Once a hero...

**Chapter 3**

Saria watched him from the doorway of her house. He was watching the darkness before dawn again, as he had been doing all so often. Months had passed since Link had played on her ocarina, and he had become slowly more distantly, never taking time to talk with her. He kept to himself; walking through the Lost Woods, with no companions, even skipping a nighttime dance. Mido had begun to shy away from the almost sad Link, and was spending time with the know-it-all brothers.

Saria sighed.

She wanted to go up and sit by Link; to talk to him, but something held her. Some deep wisdom that she had learned during her long, childish life told her that Link needed to think, and would not want to talk. She sighed again, and walked back inside from the predawn gloom.

* * *

The moon went through another cycle of waxing and waning. Its never-ending change was a constant reminder in the dark sky to the boy, as was the ever-passing sun. Time passed, and Link constantly felt the time, more than nature could have ever reminded him. His mind had become increasingly attuned to the passing of every hour. Slowly, his senses had become aware also of the forces of magic. Link had begun to feel the great arcane energy that ran through the forest.

It stifled him. His Hylian blood stirred him to follow the trail out into the fields, but his Kokiri childishness longed to stay.

* * *

"Hey!" Mido shouted at Link, who was shuffling away from his house. "Where are you goin'?" Link looked up from the ground. Mido was idly sitting with two of the know-it-alls, acting as cool as possible.

"Just the woods." Link weakly smiled, wanting to be alone.

"Oh," Mido said, suddenly feeling his friend's sadness. "Well," he said, looking at his companions, "can we come?"

Link knew that Mido wanted to cheer him up, but also knew that it would not help.

"Alright." Mido and the other boys sprang up and started towards the Lost Woods. Link forced himself to jog after them.

* * *

They were unruly, loud, and only having fun, all of which began to bother Link as they all walked through the deep woods. His head was down, but he kept up, not noticing at all where they went. As they wandered through the fallen logs, all Link could think about was having to leave his home, but all his heart said was that he truly want to go.

Suddenly, Link brought his head up. The other boys had stopped in front of a gloomy hollow log passage, huddled and whispering.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Shhhhh," Mido shushed. "Look," he pointed through the dark log. Through the gloom, Link could barely discern some tall grass, and then a stone wall.

_[Here,]_ Link thought. Here he had never truly been before, but he remembered it clearly. For he would come here, in a future that would never transpire.

"We're gonna find out what it is," Mido said. He and his two companions began to walk into the log.

"No!" Link said, his face concerned and his voice hushed. The three boys looked at him, then Mido scoffed and they walked on. Link, knowing what lay ahead, hurried after.

* * *

A wolf howl reached Saria's ears in the village.

_[In the middle of the day?] _she asked herself, then her face grew grave as the Deku Tree began to talk through her mind.

Saria, the guardian is awake! Hurry! She ran towards the Lost Woods as fast as her short legs could carry her.

* * *

Mido fell backwards, just under the swinging claws of the large predator. The two know-it-all brothers ran screaming past Link as he sprinted to Mido's aid. The downed boy was crawling backward from the hungrily advancing gray wolf. Link grabbed a particularly long stalk of grass and took a running leap. He cleared Mido's huddled from and slashed out with his flimsy weapon.

The wolf whined at the whipping of his nose, and backed off. Link grabbed Mido's shoulders, and pulled him up. He pushed him towards the exit of the small meadow, and then ran towards a nearby tree. The Wolfos had begun to advance again as Link snapped off a low branch. He spun around and brandished the stick as a sword.

The beast rose up and pulled back its clawed paw. Link quickly swung and hit the side of its head. The gray-furred enemy jumped back. It began to circle the now dangerous invader, and Link followed it with his eyes.

The Wolfos howled and trotted to the boy clad in green. It rose once again and swung its claws.

Link felt a new presence behind him, whose magic was strong and throbbing. The strength at which he felt this surprised him. He nearly turned to see what it could be, but the wolf's paw came down and struck him.

He stepped back, but quickly put the sharp pain out of his mind. He struck before the wolf could regain its defense. His stick cracked down hard against its skull and cracked in half.

"Get back!" a voice strongly commanded. Both fighters looked back, the animal slightly staggering, to see Saria standing in a firm pose. The gray Wolfos whimpered and trotted off behind the stone wall, its tail between its legs.

Link walked over to Saria. She considered him harshly. Her eyes locked with his, and they stared into each other's minds for a long moment. Link had been here before. Link had fought before. Link had felt hardship. Link was not a simple twelve-year-old child. She could feel the misplaced aura around him very clearly now. They stared into each other's hearts.

Saria began to smile. "What're you gonna do with that stick, huh?" she asked, giggling. He looked down at the broken twig in his hand, and a broad grin grew on his face. He laughed, and they walked side by side out of the Sacred Forest Meadow.

Mido and the two know-it-alls were waiting for them, watching the two intently. They in turn looked at each other and collapsed in a fit of loud laughing. They boys were wild with fear and concern, and they stared at their friends like they were crazed.

Then, Link cried out. A sharp sting came from his side. The wolf's claws had not dug deep, but he would needed attention. Saria kneeled over him, the other boys coming close.

Link's mind raced too fast for its own good. _[What's gonna happen?] _he asked himself. _[What if it doesn't heal? What if it scars? Why does it hurt so much?]_ He had forgotten the pains of battle, and had gone back to being a close to a normal boy in the time since his childhood had been fully restored.

Link fainted from the self-induced shock. His mind had gone out of control from the minor wound, and had knocked itself out. "Get him back, quick," Saria commanded. The three boys picked up their friend and carried him gingerly and hurriedly.


End file.
